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Union. ket be will to are a We GEOBÛETOWN, DEL. FRIDAY, lANl'ARY »9, MM. / Bayard 4 Lad Spetdi. W* notion by W cd nr.- Aiy 'rjwpaw that Mr. Bayard has made his final effort in the U. 8. f^«nate, and declares therein hi« determina tion to ins'gn. We consider this the best speech be ever made. Bravo I say we, for Mr. B yard ! Farewell, a long farew. îl ri hip greatc of saow mel ing away under the rays of a Bummer's sun ; for as the raye of the Consti tution c mtinue to fall on him, in all their brilliancy, he finds he "can't, stand the •ure" and therefore will retire. . n© reminds us of a large bank pres 1088 OF SLAVE LABOR. The recruiting of glares that ia now go ing on in th'g County will, it ig alleged, seriously injure the fanning iutercsta of Sussex. We can not bejiers that suoh will he the case. That a few may suffer inconvenience, it is rue, but when these few are compared with the great body of further* in opr »jcticn ' ef the State their number and their injury will become re- 1 l&tively very small, and wheu •» j s taken into consideration that »live labor is daily becoming less valuable ami more insecure the damage "grows smaller and smaller, aud beautifully less," That any loss should occur we deplore, and hope that little as it may be the fu ture will speedily remedy it. Ws do most confidently believe that the advantages to he gained' by the industrial classes of people, by the removal of slaves from midst, will largely preponderate temporary evil that may tor the time be ing incommode us. The master who loose* his slave will complaiaingly insist that because he has to hire a white man to woyk for him in place of his negro that here is a double loss. He sees iu this new system of labor a bug-bear, which if he may not abolitionism he will eopdemn as aa inno vation on the old time method, which he insiders good enough for himself, if it was good enough for hia father and grand father. OUT our over any as curse as This opinion of the matter is the result of prejudice. In the first plase, the profit that arises from slave labor is gryatly exaggerated; the constant watch fulness which the master ia compelled to exercise over his his slaves makes him con tinually uneasy and unhappy, while the petty larcenies which the slave makes ppop his master's property, krgely dimin ish his gain ; in the second place, the ad .'antage of free compensated labor can not, when compared with tho other, be too greatly estimated. He who works for money strikes a harder blow than the ne gro who works by compulsion ; the farm hand who at the end of every month re ceives his wages, is more attentive to his employer's interest thau the slave who only receives "hog and hominy," savored occasionally with curies and blows, while the sati.faction and contentment that set tles around the farmer's home without big slaves, will more than compensate him for any aj paient temporary inconvenience. Besides why can not our farmers in Dela ware work their farms without slave labor as well as the farmers of the free States. They can and will. Let thie clog of slave ry be removed, the influx of free labor to was an was in we saw s ry be removed, the influx of free labor follow its exit as speedily, it mutt; let this prejudice aga.nsta Whiteman's work ing for his liv.ng bo removed, and in less than five years our farming interests will be advanced to a higher grade, the amount and number of products will be increased, and some of our farmers, instead of watting their time in complaining and cursing the abolitionists, will rejoice that their slaves gone, and bless the republicans of this State for the stand they took in favor of making Delaware a free State. are SIGHTS IN GEORGETOWN. On Wednesday, of thig week, twenty-five negroes who had been slaves «arching through the streets of this place under onr flag and keeping step to the tap of the drum. They had been bondsmen, they were then free ; they had been ohatt«^ they were then men ; they had been alavea, they are now soldiers. These negroes have been ia oar midst for several days as recruit*, and notwith standing the sudden change of their con dition auij sudden removal of a life-time restraint from their conduct aud actios, they have not, that we are aware of, been guilty of any excesses. We trest that new manhood has been infused into them, and that these bondsmen of«Id Sussex may yet so conduct themselves as to make even their late masters proud ef them. They have left their bondage the curse and the blow behind them, and with an enthusiasm which even the Jeff. D&via Democracy of Sussex must admire, th«J were looking forward to a future which to them was more glorious than • month they ever dreamed of. From infancy they had been trained te receive, without a murmur, the whit« man's »courge and to move with implicit ohedi ence to the white man's commend: The whole life had been one of degradation No hope of elevation was ever offered them, no prospect of an improved condi tion. ever gladdened the r hearts, until the ago 11 exigencies of this war offered them a mus ket and freedom. They made their choice between slavery on the one hand *&d the perils of the battle field on the other, there anything to be Tfouderad at in this? Grant, if yon piea.se, that »U their masters were kind, yet they were masters and the negro was a sich*. Nature has given to every human being, whatever his color or whatever his condition, an irrepressible longing after freedom. No man loves to be a slaveor hugs with affection the shackles that biud him to his servi tude. Even the very men who iu Sussex county pretend yet to advocate slavery, will tell you if urged to the reply, that they can not blame the slave negro for enlisting, and will stoutly asseverate that if they themselves were bopdsmen in order to secure their freedom they would do likewise. Many bloody battles of this rebellion are yet to be fought, and if the slave shall rise above the prejudice of the hour, and with a noble impulse and a daring hero ism rescue his race from the charge of cowardice, '-** striking for the triumph of a *Veq government over a slave aristocracy, We say God speed him on his mission aud make him the uvengiug hand that will crush out this unprovoked and duwuable rebellion. jL s 1 goal jUtimis. General Agent for ''The Udiun." Mr. Isaac T. Dunning has this day been ap pointed GENERAL ADVERTISING *tui.l SUB SCRIBTION AGENT for "The Uhus .' 1 Ile will olio collect all monoy due this oflico. Georgetown, Pel. Jan. 25, '61. J. P. M'GUIGAÎL Editor "Uuk'n.' I^PWo call attention to the letter of !'Jus tice" from Milford, which relates to the tiuuation of the railroad to Georgetown. epn norvi ill "Blanche" send proper signature, as we reeoguize ho communication without the true signature of the uuthor. 8®~On the 13th jnst., Joseph II. Lingp, a drafted man from Indian River Hundred, re ported himself to Provost Burton, who took him to Wilmington. He passed tho board, and upon paying $300 wai dismissed. A Rash Act. —Quite a stir was made a mong our sympathizing friends by the rest of our townsmen, the Messrs. C. JÎ. and John II. Pavnter, late last Monday evening. The circumstances leading to the arrest are well known here, aud as their publi cating may tend to inform the public, and at the same time dispel any idea that the master has the leatt control over the slave subsequent to his enrolment, we lay before our readers the following statement: The agent for the enlistment of colored troops within this State, recruited at this place on the 2Uth inst., several slaves, and among the pumber a boy named Louis, belonging to Mrs. Paynkr. Previous te the enlistment of Louis, Mr. Iluzzard (the agent-) informed Mr. C. R. Paynter that Louis had made application to be enlisted; Paynter told Ilaizsrd to wait half an hour and he would see him again, at the end of which time, Paynter said that his mother had no objection to tho boy's enlistment; he was accordingly sworn in. After their enlistment most of the recruits were for bidden by their former owuers to return to their premises, and were therefore sub sisted by the agent, Louis with the rest.— Thus matters remained until îlonday, when, during the absence of Mr. Hazzaril, Mr. Caleb R. Payntsr concluded to compel Louis to return to his former service. He accordingly approached the boy aud dered him from the rendezvous, eompeling him at the same time to obey by repeated threats of violence, going so far even as to resent a pistol at the boy 's head. He con ucted him to the stables, and ordered him to curry off hia horse, using many terms of reproach because of Louis enlistment.— Aftsr the boy had finished his work he was severely boaten by Caleb, and on es caping from the stable was met by J. H. Paynter, who also flogged him. The boy escaped and returned to the rendesvous, and on the return of Huzzard, an affidavit settiug forth tho facts in the ease was file l, and the consequent arrest was made by order of the Provost Marshal himself, who happened to be at the time in town. Altar a hearing, the parties were re leased by their giving ond to appear be fore the Military Commandant, General Tyler, at his headquarters, witliiu 48 hours alter notice. ar The course taken by the authorities in this affair is, in our opinion, both just to the Government and honorable to them selves; for whilst the oflenee was a grave one, and no doubt merited much more vere punishment, yat the determination of the authorities to defend all who shall place themselves under the protecting segis of the American Flag, in their rights and privileges, is thus fully shown. Should such an outrage upon the per sonal rights of these persons be permitted, no such thing as rapid enlistments from this class of men, in our midst, could be secuead. For if one may restrain his for mer servant of his privileges upon the ex istiug system of recruiting, even for an hour, so may another, and thus the entire order for their enlistments be rendered of no effect. We are assured that every loyal citizen will approve of the course adopted by our worthy Provost Marshal, Colonel Wilmer, and we believe that it will also lie acqui esced in by every intelligent Democrat, aa they know that the continued enlistment of colored men will save to them, as well os te others, the severities of another i SO* draft. The First Delaware Cavalry .—Wt are in formed that Governor Cannon has received authority from the War Department, to in crease the 1st Delaware Cavalry by the addi tion of another battallion. The Governor has appointed Col. John W. Andrews, to com mand, and Captain Yardley, as Major. Col. Andrews is an excellent officer, and has considerable service daring the existence of the present rebellion as Colonel of the gallant m d to First Delaware. He participated in the but tles of AiUiotuu^ Fi cdarwksburgaudChancel loraville, and displayed the marked abili ties which pre-eminently fit him for the posi tion for whioh he has boon selected. Captain Ytilrdloy was also connected with the First Delaware, and shared with it in the glories and hardships Of several well contested bot tles. lie is well fitted for tho station of Ma jor, and will make a good officer. Recruiting offices have beon opened in this city, and other parts of the State, and wo would advise young men who wish to enlist under the ban ner-of their country to do so immediately and join this excellent corps. If you would get clear o( a draft in our State, you must act promptly, as but a short time will olapse be fore an order will come to make it, uuless our quota is filled by voluuteers. In most of the other loyal States, the citizens arc re sponding nobly to the call for volunteers, and we hope the patriotic sons of the Diamond State, will remember t\c gallant deeds of thbir Revolutionary ancestors, and enroll their names at once. Those men who have served in either the Fifth or Sixth Delaware, who may re enlist in this Cavalry will re ceive the biunty of $402, as Veteran Volun teers. These brave men, when a hostile foe threatened our State, n bty left their fields und workshops, put their armor on and went fi rth to do battle in their country's service, a id wo anticipate that a goodly number will join the First Delaware Cavalry, and strike a final and decisiyc blow at treason and trai tors. Enroll yuui names immediately.— Journal, Men iu Sussex county yho are desirous of joining this battalion, can now do so, as R. B. Day, late of th? 6th Del. Vols., is recruit ing a company fur it—-rendezvous, George town. Najro Troops. —Mr. Stephen T. Iluzzard, who is reoruiting«negroos iu this vicinity, has succeeded in getting about 30 sworn iu and taken up the roud. Perseus desirous of hav ing the quota fillod should see that all the able-bodied negroes, both free aud slave, are r;cruited, and thus save tho uecesßity of a draft. Brown's Bronchial Troches, for Coughs, Colds Pulmouary and Asthmatic Disorders, have their efficacy by a test of many years, and have received testimonials fVom eminent men who have used them. a Gndey's Lady Book. —This popular lady's magazine is again before us, and is as usual, filled with all that could bo desired by tho ladies of tho present generation. Tho front icepiece is a splendid design, entitled "Young Loves Dream," and also the steel engraving. "St. Valentine's Day. too highly spoken of. Subscription price is This book cannot he but $3. of last Peterson's Mugazine is again op our table. Wo find it tilled with varied and choice arti cles. The engraving is "Baby's Turn."— The February number of this magazine con tains thirty-four articles, and sixty-nine em bellishment®. Term® per year are $2. The Gardener's Monthly. —This is the farmer's true friend, and all who have any desire to improve their laud or their modo of farming, should be a subscriber to this work. Terms are but 1.50 per year. Sec advertise ment in another column. Farmer & Gardener.—- This work is devoted to agriculture, horticulture, &c., edited and published by Wm. S. Young *fc Co. Terms $1 per year; now is tho time to begin sub scriptions as the now volume has just com menced. See advertisement iu another col the Mr. of is and no umn. The Portrait Monthly is with us. This is the eighth number of the work, aud contains correct and beautifully engraved portraits of the most prominent persons of the day, to gether with a correct personal sketch of each. Published by T. B. Leggett & Co., 90 Beek man street, New York, at $1 per annum. Recruiting in Delaware.—« A Company of the twentydifth United States Colored Tioops, now at Camp Wm. Penn, has been ordered to Seaford, Delaware, to march from there to Wilmington, to recruit colored men to fi.l up hequ ta of the State. There are a great number of blaoks, both slave and free, iu trip State who are anxious to join the service and help to place the old flag over the wh. L* Union and to make it a free Union. Many of the largost slaveholders in the State are much interested in tho movement, and are giving their, aid iu the good work.— Journal. is r Shooting Case. —On Wednesday evening last about five o'clock, a boy about 14 years of age named Frauds Ready, shot another boy, named Richard W. Crooks. The occur rence took place in the vicinity of Water aud Lombard streets. The particulars of the follows;-—It appears that some ca.<e arc four or five youths were out praotising with pistols, Crook got some short distanco ahead i f the others, when Ready raises his piet 4, pointing it at Crook, and fired, th® ball tak ing effect in the log of the latter, making a horrible, though not serious wound. Tho injured boy was coveyed to tho residence of his parents, and medical aid called in. Capt. William .Thatcher arrested the whole party, and handed them over to officer Legg, who Committed thorn tothe City Hall cells. They had a hearing before Mayor Turner, who held Ready to bail in the sum of $400, to au swer at the next term of Court. The other boys were held for tho present. Ready alledges that the shooting was accidental. —Journal. [Correspondene* of The Union.] LETTER FROM MILFORD. Milford, Del., Jau. 18th, 1803, Mr. Editor, In your journal of the 15th inst., I see an editorial also a communication, in regard to the Junction and Breakwater Railroad, which ia calculated to mislead or give a wrong impression as to the sentiments of the citizens of Milford aud especially as to the present Board of Director», in regard to the extension of the Junction and Breakwater Railroad. Yon speak of the particular inter est which was manifested in the election of the present Board. I will agree with yon a® of d to the interest so manifested,. as mauy of the stockholders in this vicinity had learned, with utter astôh isftm èn t, that certain direc tors had made a proposition £o give the Junction arid Breakwater Railroad, which had cost $108,OQQ, t^tho . Philadelphia, Wil mington and Balt'Hnoy^ Byroad or Delaware Road if. they would prattle debt which now stauding against the Junction Road whieV is about $18, 0Ä) ; aud agree to the Road as now run, as it was contended by the same parties that we could not run the road if it was paid for ;;also the same unities, the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, which agreed to take the road, would not agree to make the road to George town ; therefore not ' positively agreeing to benefit Georgetown, and really taking the stock away from the citizens of Milford, aH Georgetown, and a part of the road no finish ed to Milford,. That part of the road which cost $85,000, and giving them nothing in re turn, which mado the stockholders really give their stock away, and which we wore not willing to do. We were willing to sacri fice a part of our stock, for finishing the road to Georgetown, but was not willing to give our entire stock away, .which was the propo sition of some of yur qüsc financiers, it is not their mode of d »wig business for. themselves, therefore the citizens properly suspected that they hud seen a new light and that there was sumo pay to certain parties who proposed to give away, that which they did not entirely own, and the people felt indignant at such conduct. Those same parties who wished to give away the road are not men who give away a dollar uploss they have assurance of getting buck principal with interest. I am sure that if the people of Sussex, as well us the citizens of Milford will bestir themselves thvy may be able to save the road from a sale by the Sheriff, as predicted ; cind it is a libel upon tho citizens of Milford to say they are opposed t» the extension of this road as they have tried every means and mode for to plan some way by which it may get extended, also to pay the prosent debt wh.ch nted by the same men who now wi.h to give the road away, they have run the ship aground and though loth to Joave wish still to stay aboard and sink the crew. We will admit that the road finances are in a bad state, which we arc iu hopes that the present board will show plainly to the stockholders the act amount of its liabilities, dfce. red there are no set of men in Kent or Sussex who will strive harder to extend the road than the present Board of Directors, and to tho plan of the sale of the road, as spoken of, this idea was gotten up by certain parties hero to prejudice the citizens of Georgetown against certain gentlemen of Milford, to sat isfy a corrupt and malicious feeling, and secure places which they considered honor able. In regard to the chango in the Board of Directors, there have-been changes at every election I believe ^intfè the first, equal to the present. The change which was made at the last election was ulm^^atirely compulsory. on was run was I « ex I feel assu ii to last election was ulm^^atirely compulsory. Uo tho to of a In the U. S Senate, on Wednesday, Mr. Brown presented u memorial of sixty-three members of the Mis^puri General Assembly protesting against the confirmation of Gen. Schofield as Major General. Mr. Wilson, of the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill for the establishment of a uniform stock away, also Hon. Judge Houston aud Jesse Sharp, Esq., who were all Directors for the Inst year, (aud could not of course be Di rectors having no stock,) therefore there persons turned out of the Board »xcopt Mr. Fiddeinan and Currey. Tho two last gentlemen wove the only ones turned out, therefore you will see it was a necessary change except the two last named which for reasons the stockholders saw fit to leavo out of the board for the present. Thoreforo there is no great wrong done to these gentlemen, V have served the public for some time and without pay, aud it was ooueidered that they should be relieved. Your correspondent says at the meeting the opinion prevailed that the stockholders must sacrifice their stock. I differ with you, some may think so, but I with many do not. I feel somewhat like Moses when tho Read Sea was on the were no one side and Pharoah on the other, he said "stand still," I say exert yourselves and wljat can be done, " Nover give up tho ship," is the watchword. Let us try once Legislature, there are mauy warm hearts in that body toward old Sussex, and I think they will do her justice and save our cherish ed hopes and you will yet see the iron horse snorting and blowiug and making old Sussex r ng with his hoarse ueigh. Go to the Legis lature and tell them your situation, go like tho impotent widow to the unjust Judge, and it is likely they will give you something to got clear of your importunities. The cause is juHt and shuuld be maintained, and my word for it, you will find Milford with every director here doing all they can to help the extension of the Juuction and Breakwater Railroad. see more our JUSTICE. THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS^ a First Ueselon. am bulance system. The Chumbcr of Commerce of Milwaukee petitioned for a modification of tho Reciprocity treaty. On motion of Mr. Sumner the President was requested to fur nish all the information iu his possession iu regard to the recent conflagration in Santia go. Tho resolution providing for a Joint Committee on the Conduct of the Wur was passed. The resolution requiring Senators to take a prescribed oath was taken up and dis cussed at great length. '-The adjourn ed without finally actingtm tho resolution. Thé House of Representatives referred to the Committee. on^Nyjral Affairs a bill intro- duced by Mr. Schenok to equalize the grade of line officers in the navy.. The bill amenda- tory of the confiscation act wae discussed at some length, but no final-action was takeu.— The report of ex-Govumior Wright, Coinmis- sinner to the International Fair, at Hamburg, -sent to the Huuéè l»y the President,— The House theu went into Committee of the Whole and considered the Excise Tax law.— a the the the of a® Numerous amendmente were rejected. The tax upon spirits was fixed at CO cents. An amendment that whiskey or any other sp rits on being mixed with other spirits and soldas whiskey, brandy, rum, wine, Ac., shall pay an additional tax, was adopted. Without any final action upon the bill the House ad journed. ' In the U. S. Senate, on Thursday, Mr. Sherman presented a rep »rt from-C .mmu sioner Newton, of tho Agricultural Depart ment, adverse to the proposed tax of twenty per cent, on leaf tobacco. The resolution re quiring Senators to tako an additional oath was then taken up und discussed at length. Mr. Saulsbury obtained tho floor, and the Senate adjourned until Monday. The House of Representatives authorized the appointment of a now standing committee of five members, to be eniitlcd the Committee on a Uniform System of Weights, Measures and Coinage. The consideration of tho joint resolution amendatory of the confiscation act was resumed, but no final action was taken. Thé House wont into Committee of tho Whole on tho bill to amend the internai revenue act. An amendment that all cotton in the hands of manufacturers, heretofore exemptod, shall be taxed two cents per pound, was adopted. An aoiendment that all spirits imported prior to the passago of the act, shall pay an addi tional duty of 40 cents, was also passed.— The bill was reported to the House, and was ordered to be printed, as was also a substitute intended to be offered by Mr. Stevens. The U. S. Senate was not in session on Fri da}', having adjourned until Monday. The House of Representatives had under consideration the bill to increase the internal revenue, as reported fr*m the Committee of the Whole. The amendments taxing spirits CO cents ; adulterations sold as brandy, whis key, Ac., an additional sum of £0 cents; cot ton in the bauds of manufacturers on the first of October, 1802, and prior theroto, two cents per pound, and spirits imported prior to the passago of this act an additional sum of 40 cents, were passed.' The substitute of Mr. Stevens, which was nearly the same bill as roported by the Committee on Ways and Means, was rejected, and the amended bill was finally passed. Trie consideration of the joint resolution amendatory of the Confisca tion act was then resumed, but no fiuul action was taken. Mr. Ward, of Now £ork, intro duced a bill providing that soldiers honorably discharged ■within two years horn trie date ol their term of service, in cousequeuce ol dis ease contracted iu the service, or oilier cause, shall be entitled to the same bounty same class ol persona wiio are discharged al ter a service of two years. Reierred to tue Committee 011 Military Adairs. Tue House thou adjourned until Monday. irie of [Correspondence of the Journal,] DELAWARE LEGISLATURE. Dover, Jau. Li, 1864. Our State cajfttol at this time is in a fer ment of excitement, owing to the iunumwra Uo number of divorce coses thut are claiming tho altcntiuu of our legislators. Never in tue history of our State has thero been so many petitions from persons sighing for singlo bIos8educss as at this time. One would al most suppose from the applications for di vorce that we had become a community of licentious, profligate brutes. The fact of the matter is that it is a disgrace to Delaware.— Many of the reasons that are assigned by the petitioners are of the most trivial character, and the parties should bo kicked out of the legislative halls. But wo presume that the applicants know that the majority are cor rupt on other matters and consequently likely to ftid them in their efforts to rid themselves of their partners for life. Among the divorce cases is one from Henry Stout, asking to be divorced from his wife. Of the merits of this case we have nothing to say, as it is now un dergoing an examination. The two houses* » havo been in joint sosaion two evenings, lis tening to evidence iu the matter. Both par ties arc represented by counsel and I expect that the decision will be just and proper, whatever it may be. Yesterday Mr. Allen, of Sussex, introduced a bill for the leneft of the State of Delaware, which is nothing more nor less than an act to inflict on the people another gigantic swin dle. The parties asking this grant, we be lieve, bail from that hotbed of all villainies, New York city. They offer a heavy bonus for its passage, and fears are entertained that it will succeed. Their emissaries ate here toasting and feasting the members in a grand style, which may exert a great influence in its favor. I am also told that George Read Riddle, of your county, and other promineut politicians, are using their influence to puss tho bill. It will, I feel sure pass the House aud the only hope of the iLO. al portion of the community is that it may be defeated iu the Senate. Let the opponents of this villainous system of robbery, be up and doing, and leave no honorable means untried to defeat it. An effort is being made to pass an aet to prevent manufacturers from throwing any de leterious matter into any stream, the waters from which are used for household purposes. A committee of the couucil of yi/Ur city, con sisting of Philip Plunkett, Dr. J. Wilson aud Joseph W. Day, aro here urging its passage. No good reason can be given why such a sal utary uiaasuro should uut pass, while on the ] other hand many strong urgumems can be adduced in its lavor. 1 think it will become a law. L The folloving act has passed the Senate: An act to divorce Charles U. Cattell and Anu B. CaUcII. The following have passed iho House : Au Act to unable Mr. Dasuiels to lo at cate certain vacant lauds , iu Brou% Creek Hundred, Sussex couuty ; an Act to lay oui a Mr. Qemmill from the committee to wh m wa8 referred so much of the Governor's mes sage as refers to tho Natioual Cemetery at Gettysburg, reported qu Tuesday, and rccom mcaded a compliance with the Governor's i recommendation. They also «ffered a joint resolution, as follows,, which w,ua laid over uu til Tuesduy noxt: Resolved by the Senate, &c., That the State Tretvçurçr be and is hereby dirMt®4 to 1 street iu Seaibrd. pay to the order of Governor William Cannon, the j-um of $425, being Delaware's quota for the Soldiers' National Cemetery at Gettys barg. It is hard to tell when the Legislature will adjourn. Mr. Qemmill offered a resolution on Tuesday, to adjourn on Friday, but it was voted down. Dover, January 25, 1864. A petition was presented to the House, on Wednesday, signed by a number of your citi zens, praying the General Assembly to pass an Act repealing the law requiring tho pre payment of tax before voting at the election for municipal officers of Wilmington. It was read and referred. This is a Copperhead move as far as I understand and they hope to secure a victory at your municipal elections if the Legislature will open the doors, pud not require pre-payment of tax as aqualifipa tion for voters. Your city council finds it hard enough now to collect the taxes, and if this measure should become a law, I havo not tho least doubt, it would be utterly impossible to collect more than one-third of the sum as sessed. So far as the rosult of the election is coucorned, it will make not a whit of differ ence as there is such a strong Union prepon derance that no systom of legislation can change the political completion of your gal lant Union city. I hope the legislature will kick this petition out, as it would be very destructive to tho best interests of your thri ving and beantifql place. The bill introduced by Mr. Duncan, to de fine and prevent certain nuisances has passed a first reading, in the House, and I am in clined to think will become a law. It im poses a fine of $500 or $1000 on any person emptying chemicals, dye-stuffs, Ac., into streams furnishing water as a drink or beve rage to villages, towns aud cities. The pen alty to be collected by indictment. The Lottery bill has been read a first time. It is to osfabfish a lottery on tho payment to the State Treasurer tho sum of $288,000 by William S. Spaulding, of Washington city, Thomas Ilinds, of Wilmington and Henry P. Go >ttce, of Baltimore. They are tq pay two instalments of $9,000 end; on the first of Ges töber and April of each year till all is paid. In consideration of this amount, Delaware is to become a grand reservoir, from whence they are to jicnd out their swindling ?e Li eines and policies to defraud the people of tlft coun try. Wo hope fur the fame, honor and credit of our Stute, that our legislators will not prove ,o recreant to their trusts us to puss tills iulauious bdl, Sir. Tai has introduccvl a bill ia the Seuu'.e to iimuml au act in relation tu tree uc grucs ami mulattc.cs, passed March 1», 1803. Thii bill i« tu repeal the law iu regard tu taking colured servant« nut of the State and koep.ng them nut lunger than five duj'S. The act of March 18, 1863, is a disgrace to the Stato, ft'.id wo regret that Mr. T»Uum did wot mako au effort to have the whole thing wiped frou tho statute hook. A hill lias been reported to provide boun by will ties the to full A hill lias been reported to provide boun ties tor volunteers. ' It provides that the State Treasurer shall borrow at necessary times, upon credit of not more than six years, $100, 000 at six per cent, Tim Treasurer is to re? ceive for his services oue-s.jtteeuth per cent, of the money obtained. Every person who hlttll on or before Murcli 1, 1805, voluntarily euln-t iu tho military service the United State; for three years or duriug the war, aud who may he duly credited to this State under the call of the President of the United Siales, shall receive $400 bounty. Robert R. Robin son, Evan C. Stotseuhurg, James Bradford, to he commissioners lor the purpose. They are to ait once a week in Wilmington. This hill will no doubt pass. Wo arc glad to see that even a measure in this shape—al though open to many serious objections—is about to become a law. Tho following hills huve passed the House: A further supplement to an act entitled an act incorporating a Bank at Milford, under the name of the present Directors and Com pany of the Farmers & Mechanics Bank of Milford; bill to straighten a roud in Cedur Creek Hundred, Sussex county ; bill to change tho name of Wilhelmina Stevens Henry, to Mur>u Margaret Ashion Henry ; hill to revive and continue in force an act entitled an act to enable Waitwan Jones to locate certain lauds in North West Fork lid., Sussex coun ty, aud complete his title to the some, passed February 15, 1859 ; hill to amend an act to authorize the Recorder of Deeds, of Kent county, to copy indices; bill to authorize John M. Rawlins to change the location and straighten and shorten a public road iu N. W. Fork Hd., Sussex county; bill to authorize George W. Dickson to mako au index to the old marriage record in the court house of Kent county, from th® year 1847 to 1861 ; hill to amend an act entitled an act to incor porate a Bank in tho town of Seaford, Sussex couuty, under the name of the Diamond State Bank, vote on passage of bill, yeas 20, nays 1. » ers, in or er, LATEST NEWS. From Washington. Washington, Jan. 23, 18G4—We have had a week of old-fashioned legislation, with some good speeches, 6ome constitutional ar guments, some spicy debates, end some votes which have rather astouishod the politicians, ] j a( , g ; n|Ç f rum 11Pe9 ent appearances, the sc; sion will bo closed iu June, although much depends npun the early spring campaign in Virginia. TUE TEST OATH. The Seuate has discussed, day after day, the "tost oath," which Mr. Bayard hesitates to take. Nv-W, it ip of very little consequence to the country whether that goutleman does ta o that oath, or whether he refuses to take it, aud forfeits his seat. But tho oath, as it now graces the statute book, is a strong bar rier against the return here of those now in rebellion, to play their game over again. As the oatu now stands, every Congressman, be i fjre he takes his scat, must swear that he lias never, by any act ot uis, committed an act of hostility tothe Union, thus furnishing addi tiuiiul security that he will npver violate his oath by acting falsely to his country or \o his 1 Government, It is ostabnsliiag as a principle that any man who bas borne arms against this Govern ment, or yielded aid and comfort to this atro oious rebellion, is unworthy of a seat in Con gress. Of course this is a damper on tl.e hopes of politicians in Dixie; and their at tor ney, Revnrdy Johnson, is working hard to have it set aside, pie ding ingeniously, es every lawyer knows hpw to plead, for tiioSe- " turn of the prodigals to the tleshpots of Con gressional patronage. THE TAX ON h'UlSKEV. While tho Senators have been discussing die Constitution, the Representatives have been debating about whiskey—said to he good for tho constitution. Some of your Philadel phia orators have at times waxed slightly personal, and the discussions havo been very spirited. Thad. Stevens, who is Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, want ed to tax whiskey henceforth distilled sixty cents per gallon. This Would haw permitted the speculators, who havo beon hoarding up spirits in bonded warehouses, to havo taken them out nt the old tax of twenty cents a gab Ion. But Fernando Wood, of New York, said no! If you tax wlmt whiskoy is to bo mndo sixty sixty cents a gallon, tax what hs3 been made the same. If any lias paid a tax or import duty of twenty cents a gallon, slap on forty cents additions. In short, may ovory gallon of liquor for sale, foreign or native, whether held by distillors, or merchants, or specula: tors, pay sixty cents n gallon. This Thad. Stevens resisted, but Fernanda triumph;d.— Now it remains to be seen what the Senate will do. The new whiskey tax will, it is es timated, put fifty millions into the Treasury. PuiLAnEi.ru i a Navy Yar^. The Naval Appropriation Bdl, as roported to the House, gives, for repairs of dry-duck, $72,027 ; for pitch house, $1,Q25 ; for dredg ing, $6,023 ; fur repairs of »11 kinds, $34,0U0, and for repairs of dumage by fire, $10,000. But the inflexible guiirdigns of the public purse expunged the estimate of $209,000 for a floating dry-dock, although we have several Monitors so long that they cannot enter any one of the dry docks now built. Congress is asked to purchnse; —at a price not exceeding $90,000—two lots of laud tending from Front street to the Commission; er's line in tho Delaware River. This is a sop to compensate for the indirect.refusal to accept Leaguo Island, aud to establish a Navy Yard thero for the construction of iron; clads. UnmindfuMff all arguments present ed in favor of League Island as u proper site fur this much needed public establishment, the C ■ mmitteo of Ways aud Means tblluw the lead ot old Commodore Smith, and, by way of appeasing Philadelphia, recommend ttio enlargement,uf the present yard. Plan or the Soring Campaign. It is said thut a Now York correspondent lias narrowly escaped being sent to Fort Lafayette, for disclosing the project of mak ing a simultaneous double advance on Rich: mond—one direct from here, and the other by the Peninsula. If this eau he d me by a sufficiently large force, tho stars and stripes will soon float over what is now jhe rebel Capitol. Yet it hardly seems probable that tho rebels will have previously evacuated R.cli - moud. Virginia is naturally well-titled tor defensive warfare, and it is very evident thut Leo's army is disposed to recommence hostili ties as soon ns the mud dries up, crpccially if that be before the return of the re-enlisted men from tlioir furloughs. Besides, many < f the regiments now at their homes wilt return to ttic Army of the Potomac recruited to their full strength. ex full strength. Exchange ok Prisoners. General Ben. Butler has been up here, to consult with the high officials of Government about tho exchange of prisoners. If cur authorities really desiro to exchange prison ers, Gen. Butler enn do it, hut ho must do it in his own way—man for man and officer for officer—and neither be hampered by red tape or trammeled by orders from Washington. Well acquainted with the South and with tho Southern puliticians, G eu. Butler is tho man to bring them to time, and now that he has laid his programme before those in pow er, it is to be hoped that it will be approved, und that President Lincoln will clothe him with plenary powers to negotiate und to con duct exchanges. If the President will but do this, it will not bo long before the poor fellows now lan guishing on Bello Isle or in the Riehmond tobacco factories will be restored to their families, and will soon again be beneath the old flag, ready to puniBh those who so cruelly treated them. The House Enrolment Bill. The substitute reported to-day by Repre sentative Selicnck, from the Committee on'' Military Affairs, for the Senate bill, amenda tory of the enrolment act, raukes the quota proportionate to the number subject to tho draft. If the quota shall not be filled by the first draft, it allows to be employed as substi tutes persons not liable to draft at the time, or who are not already in the service, Addi tions to the existing enrolments shall be made of those omitted befbro ; viz : young men ar riving at the age of twenty and persons who havo been in the military service less than two years, and all persons of foreign birth who havo over voted at a State or territorial election. Any man drafted may, within eight days, elect to enlist in the naval Borvice; but pilots, engineers end mastors-ut-arms in tho naval service may not be drafted. None are exempt except those physically disabled, tho Prosidout of the United States, the Vice President and heads of the executive depart ment, Governors of States, men in the naval aud military eervioe and those who, having served two years, are honorably discharged. Persons procuring substitutes are exempt only from that draft, and iu no case for moi o than a your, wheu tile name is again placed on the enrolment Let. The hill pruscribec tue penal. y of a liuo of $6,000 und an iinpr.s ouineut uut exceeding five yeui s, nr res.st auco tu the druit. It rein ns iliu $300 cum iution required by the old hill, and makes tho lowest bunt of moome, in oases ot pur ■ i cal disability $1,200 insleud ul f1,000 per uuuuin. It dues not exempt clergy men or allow the commutation or exemption ol able bodied men. a